17. Politics and Organization in Opposition:Patterns of Communication and Decision Making in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (the People’s Justice Party) of Malaysia

This research sets out to identify the patterns of communication and the implementation of decision making in Parti Keadilan Rakyat (the People’s Justice Party) of Malaysia. This study utilized a qualitative method of inquiry, namely phenomenography with the software Nvivo as a tool for analysis to reveal the communication pattern and decision making based on findings from interviews conducted towards members in the People’s Justice Party (PKR).
The research results show that the formal, i.e. upward and downward, and informal, i.e. horizontal communication, cross channel/diagonal communication and grapevine. These patterns are affected by three factors, i.e. context, as well as the experience and authority of the persons in the organization.
As a phenomenographic study, this study’s limitations lie mainly in its use of interviews as means to collect data. First, it is difficult for the researchers to confirm that the information is indeed true experience. Human attitudes and actions can always be changed. Second, the researchers have limitations in accessing full information from the informants. Finally, in order not to sacrifice depth of data, informants were limitedly selected and thus cannot be claimed as representing the communication patterns implemented by everyone in the party.

Keyword : communication pattern, decision making, political party, organizational communication, phenomenography